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Avoid puppy farmers

Puppy farmers breed high numbers of dogs and - in the Kennel Club’s words - have “little or no regard for the health and welfare of the puppies or their parents”.

As their main goal is profit, dog farmers separate puppies from their mothers too early, ignore advice about how often a dog should have a litter, do not socialise the puppies in the correct way and keep them in poor conditions.

“As a result, the puppies bred by puppy farmers are more likely to suffer from common, preventable, infectious diseases, painful or chronic inherited conditions, behavioural issues and shorter life spans,” warns the Kennel Club.

According to the Kennel Club’s 2014 survey, 38% of owners who bought their puppy from a pet shop spent more on vet’s fees than they thought they would, while 41% did not see their dog with its mother and 53% did not visit their puppy’s breeding environment.

How can I make sure I am not buying from a puppy farmer?

These pictures and video show the shocking state animals were found in at the puppy farm of Laura Kiseliova and Raimondas Titas from Prestwich, Greater Manchester. (Image: Handout)

The RSPCA says many dodgy dog dealers exploit the internet to advertise and sell farmed puppies.

According to the charity, 87% of calls from people concerned about the puppy trade are about dogs bought online.

But there are steps you can take to check you’re buying from an honest breeder and not a puppy farmer.

Tell tale signs you could be buying from a puppy dealer, according to the RSCPA

Dealers may use the same contact number on more than one advert. Try Googling the number to see if it has been used on any other puppy adverts.

Descriptions may have been copied and pasted and used on more than one advert - try Googling the description and see if it has been used before, word-for-word.

Words like ‘miniature’ and ‘teacup’ can be a sign of dealers trying to capitalise on popular terms.

Photos of the puppies may have been used on other adverts. Right click on the photo, select ‘search Google for image’ and see if it has been used on other ads.

If the advert says a puppy has been vaccinated - check how old he or she is.

A puppy cannot be vaccinated before four to six weeks of age. So, if a person is advertising a three-week-old vaccinated puppy, they are lying.

If the puppy is advertised as having a passport, it has most probably been imported.

The RSPCA has seen dealers claim they are Kennel Club Registered to convey legitimacy - but be wary of this, ask for original documents and check with the Kennel Club before buying a puppy.

Promises of “free insurance” and “puppy packs” do not mean the advert is from a legitimate breeder.

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Questions to ask your breeder

• Did they breed the puppy?

It’s not a good idea to buy a puppy from anyone other than the breeder, otherwise you will not be able to see the puppy with its mother in the place where it was bred or find out about the puppy’s history

• Are the puppies kept where they were bred?

Always see the puppies in the place where they were bred.

• How many puppies there are/were in the litter?

It’s best to arrange a viewing when there’s more than one puppy to see. Also ask this question again when you visit the puppy to make sure that you get the same answer about the size of the litter.

• Have any of the puppies had any health problems?

• Has the mother had any health problems?

• Have the puppies been treated for worms or any other parasites?

Generally puppies should have been wormed at approximately two, five and again at eight weeks of age.

• Have, or will, the puppies be given their first vaccinations before they go to their new homes?

If not you will need to arrange for them to be carried out soon after the puppy arrives, should you choose to buy one.

• Have the parents been screened for any inherited diseases known to be a problem in that breed?

• Do the puppies have any form of identification, such as microchips?

It is advisable to microchip puppies to help them be traced if they are ever lost or stolen, but you can arrange this after you have got the puppy.

• Ask where the puppies are kept?

For example, is this inside the house in a busy kitchen where lots of people come and go and interact with the puppies?

Think about whether this set-up matches your own home environment.

• Find out about where the breeder lives.

Is it in a quiet or busy area? Has the puppy been exposed to noises such as traffic, the television, gunfire? Consider if they’ve been raised in an environment which matches your home.

• Have the puppies met and been gently handled by children of different ages?

This is particularly important if you have children or grandchildren.

• Have the puppies met adult dogs as well as their mother?

• How many people regularly interact with the puppies and are they used to having contact with people during the day or only at certain times?